The Senate Impeachment Court adjourned the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday, November 12, following the presentation of the defense panel’s fifth witness.
The proceedings are set to resume on Thursday, November 19, following the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, which runs from November 16 to 18 in Metro Manila.
Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero announced the schedule adjustment during the session.
”Trial is adjourned until November 19, next Thursday at 10 o’clock in the morning.”
The adjournment follows a request by lead defense counsel Atty. Sheila Sison to cancel Friday’s scheduled all-day trial ahead of the summit, which has been declared a holiday.
Escudero also pointed out that access to the Senate will be restricted during the ASEAN Summit due to widespread road closures.
At the beginning of the proceedings, Escudero mentioned that the court accommodated senator-judges requesting leeway with arrival times amid heavy traffic caused by pre-summit preparations and seasonal congestion.